Our Filene Basement Top Ten Tips

Below are our top 10 Tips for the Filene Basement Running of the Brides sale.
Having attended three times in the last few years (and being successful every
time) we've gotten to know what is needed and how to work the sale. We're happy
to share these tips with you and wish you all the success we've had in finding
the perfect dress.

2012 Update: Sad to inform you all that Filene's Basement went belly-up and the Running of the Brides is no longer.

Now for the GREAT news: Brides Against Breast Cancer
hold similar types of events across the U.S.—you can get a wedding dress at
bargain basement prices and help a wonderful cause at the same time. It's a
win-win!

Be sure and
visit BABC to find out when they'll be coming to your area.

Bring a mirror! How can you know you found "the one" if you can't see
it!

Be open when it comes to sizes. Bridal sizes run a lot smaller. I would normally take
a size 6 in regular clothes but I was fitting in size 10s. My
sister bought a dress that was 2 sizes too big for her, but she
will have it taken in. So if you find the wedding dress of your
dreams, don't pass it up just because it isn't your exact size.
Just don't buy a dress that is too small for you. You will
regret that one later.

Spread good karma. What
goes around comes around. One girl loved a dress that I tried on
but didn't have a dress that I wanted to trade her for. I knew
she loved it, so I just gave it to her. And then within 20
minutes, I found my dream dress!

Get there really early or much later. If you are not one of the first
250 people in line, chances are you won't be able to grab any dresses in the
run to the racks. By about 10:30am, many dresses were back on the racks for
everyone to peruse.

Wear running shoes. I saw a few girls trying to make the mad dash in
flip flops. It could have gone horribly wrong. Soooooo not worth it.

Good undergarments are a must. You will need to strip down in front of
everyone (journalists and cameras included)—there are no changing rooms. I
suggest wearing a sports bra and boy shorts or your bikini.

Bring a camera. It's a great idea for someone to
take a snap of you in a dress that you are considering—sometimes when you
see yourself in the dress in a photo it seals the deal or is a deal breaker. You
also will want to keep a memory of the awesome insanity. But make sure you
give the camera to one of your crew to keep hold of.

Have a game plan. Make an initial meeting spot with your team, so that
you all can find each other after the doors open and the mayhem begins. Assign roles to
your
various crew members. You will for sure need someone to help dress you. Someone else
to help barter. Someone else to guard the "yes" pile. It really is
complete mayhem at
Filene Basement during the sale.

Treat the dresses with care. Each one of these wedding dresses, could be
someone's perfect dress that they will wear on the biggest day of their
lives. Handle them with love, place them back on the hanger and then back in
the plastic coverall. Wear minimal or better yet no makeup. You would hate
to see the wedding dress of your dreams covered in foundation and mascara
smudges. The Filene Basement Bridal sale is a tradition and warrants
respect.

Don't get overwhelmed. There are thousands and thousands of dresses up for
grabs. If you constantly think that there may be a better dress around the
corner, you'll paralyze yourself from making a decision. I set up camp in
one area, and only looked at dresses within a 10 foot radius and found my
perfect wedding dress!

You gotta love the Running of the Brides or ROTB for those "in the know".